Garment tensioner

ABSTRACT

A pair of pants including a torso-encircling portion having a rear area and a coupling portion, a pair of leg sections extending from the torso-encircling portion and a tensioning member. The tensioning member is coupled to the rear area and to the coupling portion. The tensioning member is configured to adjust tension of a crotch area of the garment against a wearer&#39;s buttock. The tensioning member runs between the legs of the wearer from the coupling portion to the rear area.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a non-provisional application based upon U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/536,190, entitled “GARMENT TENSIONER”, filed Jul. 24, 2017, which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to garment adjusting devices, and, more particularly, to an adjustable tensioner for the crotch of a pair of pants.

2. Description of the Related Art

Garments in the form of clothing broadly refers to items worn on the human body. Clothing can be made of textiles, animal skin, or other thin sheets of materials assembled using a variety of techniques. The wearing of clothing is mostly restricted to human beings and is a feature of all human societies. The amount and type of clothing worn depends on body type, as well as social, and geographic considerations. Some clothing can be gender-specific.

Clothing can serve many purposes such as protection from the elements and clothing can enhance safety during hazardous activities such as hiking and construction work. Clothing can insulate against cold or hot conditions, and can provide a hygienic barrier, keeping infectious and toxic materials away from the body. Clothing can even be rated by its ability to provide protection from ultraviolet radiation.

Garments can make a statement about the person. Some garments indicate an adherence to a particular religious group. The styling of the garment can be understood to effect a particular fashion awareness of the person. Fashion styles change and can ebb and flow within various sub-cultures.

The tensioning of garments in the form of a waist tensioning device is known from U.S. Pat. No. 2,592,143 where a hook and engagement device are used to adjust a waistband on trousers. The tensioning of garments using stretchable material is widely known and used to provide form fitted clothing.

Drawstrings and belts are often used around the waist to tension the waistband of a garment so that it is held in place during use. If pants are used then the belt or drawstring are used to hold the pants in place by causing the pants to stay in place about the hips.

Form fitting pants can be used to accent the buttock to attract attention and to project a fashion image.

What is needed in the art is a pants garment that can enhance the body's natural curves so the wearer can feel attractive in their pants.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a garment in which the form fitting nature of the garment can be adjusted.

The invention in one form is directed to a pair of pants including a torso-encircling portion having a rear area and a coupling portion, a pair of leg sections extending from the torso-encircling portion and a tensioning member. The tensioning member is coupled to the rear area and to the coupling portion. The tensioning member is configured to adjust tension of a crotch area of the garment against a wearer's buttock. The tensioning member runs between the legs of the wearer from the coupling portion to the rear area.

The invention in another form is directed to a garment including a torso-encircling portion having a rear area and a front area, a pair of leg sections extending from the torso-encircling portion, and a tensioning member coupled to the rear area and to the front area. The tensioning member is configured to adjust tension of a crotch area of the garment against a wearer's buttock. The tensioning member runs between the legs of the wearer from the front area to the rear area.

The invention in yet another form is directed to a method of tightening a crotch of a garment including the altering of a tension on a tensioning member coupled to a rear area and to a front area of a torso-encircling portion of the garment. The tensioning member is configured to adjust the tension of a crotch area of the garment against a wearer's buttock. The tensioning member runs between the legs of the wearer from the front area to the rear area. The tensioning member, along a portion of a length thereof, is proximate to a pair of leg sections extending from the torso-encircling portion.

An advantage of the present invention is that a single garment can be adjusted to have a different look by changing the tension on the tensioning member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a garment having an embodiment of a garment tensioner of the present invention, in an untensioned state;

FIG. 2 is the garment of FIG. 1, that is now illustrated in a tensioned state;

FIG. 3 illustrates a part of the tensioning member of the present invention and how it is adjusted;

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the tensioning member shown/used in the garment of FIGS. 1-3;

FIG. 5 illustrates the relationship of eyelets in the coupling area of the garment of FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 6 is a side view of the garment of FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrating how the tensioning member is arranged in the garment.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates one embodiment of the invention, in one form, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a Garment 100 having a tensioner device 102 (illustrated in other figures). Garment 100 as shown in a rear view of FIG. 1 is in an untensioned state and FIG. 2 illustrates the same garment 100 now in a tensioned state, with tensioner device 102 being shown in FIG. 3 in an adjusted tensioned state.

Now, additionally referring to FIGS. 4-6, details of tensioner device 102 are illustrated. Tensioner device 102 includes a drawstring or band 104, a hook 106, an anchor 108 and a series of eyelets 110. Drawstring 104 is positioned along or inside of a middle seam of the pant like garment 100 allowing drawstring 104 to draw garment 100 into the crack of the butt of the wearer. Drawstring 104 is selectably tensionable by selecting which of the series of eyelets 110 that hook 106 engages for a customizable look that is desired by the wearer.

Band 104 can have an elastic property to provide a constant tension to tensioner device 102. Anchor 108 is coupled to garment 100 by way of stitching which can be through a piece of fabric, such as polypropylene, to reinforce the attachment of anchor 108.

Eyelets 110 can be plastic, metal or a stitched arrangement positioned along an inner flap 112 of garment 100 to allow the wearer the ability to select how much tension to apply to device 102, by selecting which eyelet 110 is to be engaged by hook 106. Although eyelets 110 may be hidden by way of an outer flap 114, it is also contemplated that eyelets 110 may be positioned to be a visible display of tensioning selections displayed by the wearer. Tensioning member 102 runs through a channel seam 116 and is movebly situated therein.

It is also contemplated that differing ways of coupling and adjusting drawstring 104 at each end may be used to accomplish the adjustable tensioning of garment 100 as illustrated by the present invention.

Garment 100 can be a pair of pants 100 having a torso-encircling portion 118 with a rear area 120 and a coupling portion 122. A pair of leg sections 124 extend from the torso-encircling portion 118. Tensioning member 102 is coupled to the rear area 120 and to the coupling portion 122. Tensioning member 102 is configured to adjust tension of a crotch area 126 against a wearer's buttock. Tensioning member 102 runs between the legs of the wearer from the coupling portion 122 to the rear area 120.

Tensioning member 102 is selectively coupled to one of the eyelets 110 to adjust the effect on tensioning garment 100 against the buttock. Tensioning member 102 has hook 106 on an end situated close to coupling portion 122, with hook 106 being selectively positioned in one of the eyelets 110. Band 104 of tensioning member 102, and hence member 102, can be substantially non-elastic or elastic in nature to provide the tension desired to tighten garment 100.

Another way to describe garment 100 is that it has torso-encircling portion 118 along with rear area 120 and front area 122, with tensioning member 102 being coupled to rear area 120 and to front area 122, with tensioning member 102 being configured to adjust tension of crotch area 126 of garment 100 against a wearer's buttock.

Another embodiment of the present invention is a method of tightening crotch 126 of garment 100 by altering a tension on tensioning member 102 that is coupled to rear area 120 and front area 122 to adjust tension of crotch area 126 against a wearer's buttock.

While this invention has been described with respect to at least one embodiment, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A pair of pants, comprising: a torso-encircling portion having a rear area and a coupling portion; a pair of leg sections extending from the torso-encircling portion; and a tensioning member coupled to the rear area and to the coupling portion, the tensioning member being configured to adjust tension of a crotch area against a wearer's buttock, the tensioning member running between the legs of the wearer from the coupling portion to the rear area.
 2. The pair of pants of claim 1, wherein the pants have a seam channel running along at least a portion of the crotch area toward the coupling portion, the tensioning member being movebly situated within the seam channel.
 3. The pair of pants of claim 2, wherein the coupling portion includes a plurality of eyelets to which the tensioning member is selectively coupled to one of the eyelets.
 4. The pair of pants of claim 3, wherein the tensioning member includes a hook on an end situated close to the coupling portion, the hook being selectively positioned in one of the eyelets.
 5. The pair of pants of claim 4, wherein the tensioning member is substantially non-elastic.
 6. The pair of pants of claim 4, wherein the tensioning member is elastic.
 7. The pair of pants of claim 1, wherein the tensioning member is a drawstring.
 8. A garment, comprising: a torso-encircling portion having a rear area and a front area; a pair of leg sections extending from the torso-encircling portion; and a tensioning member coupled to the rear area and to the front area, the tensioning member being configured to adjust tension of a crotch area of the garment against a wearer's buttock, the tensioning member running between the legs of the wearer from the front area to the rear area.
 9. The garment of claim 8, further comprising a seam channel running along at least a portion of the crotch area, the tensioning member being movebly situated within the seam channel.
 10. The garment of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of eyelets positioned in one of the front area and the rear area, the tensioning member being selectively coupled to one of the eyelets.
 11. The garment of claim 10, wherein the tensioning member includes a hook on an end situated close to the eyelets, the hook being selectively coupled to one of the eyelets.
 12. The garment of claim 11, wherein the tensioning member is substantially non-elastic.
 13. The garment of claim 12, wherein the tensioning member is elastic.
 14. The garment of claim 8, wherein the tensioning member is a drawstring.
 15. A method of tightening a crotch of a garment, comprising the step of: altering a tension on a tensioning member coupled to a rear area and to a front area of a torso-encircling portion of the garment, the tensioning member being configured to adjust tension of a crotch area of the garment against a wearer's buttock, the tensioning member running between the legs of the wearer from the front area to the rear area, the tensioning member along a portion of a length thereof being proximate to a pair of leg sections extending from the torso-encircling portion.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein there is a seam channel running along at least a portion of the crotch area, the tensioning member being movebly situated within the seam channel.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein a plurality of eyelets are positioned in one of the front area and the rear area, the tensioning member being selectively coupled to one of the eyelets.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the tensioning member includes a hook on an end situated close to the eyelets, the hook being selectively coupled to one of the eyelets.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the tensioning member is substantially non-elastic.
 20. The method of claim 15, wherein the tensioning member is a drawstring. 